Snak The Ripper

Vancouver’s Snak the Ripper sounds like a few of these bratty kids at the Mac’s store I used to want to slap when I was growing up. With these impressions aside, Snak is undeniably a unique voice in the Canadian rap race and definitely worth listening to. I admit that the first time I heard of Snak the Ripper was just last summer with the video “Beer Day (Situations)” from the Fatt Snak album. That was a year ago. Currently, Snak has his album Sex Machine set to drop in June and a Western Canadian tour planned for the spring. Peep the interview!

You recently started to rap, how did you decide to start rapping in your 20s?

A few years back I was living pretty ruff, doing lots of drugs and what not. I was at the lowest I’ve ever been, and that pretty much birthed my career. I didn’t start actually writing lyrics until 2007, but I freestyled drunk with homies and shit all the time for as long as I can remember. I just don’t think I was focused on anything in life, and I needed something to channel all my bullshit in to. Although people have tried to use that aspect of my past against me, I don’t regret anything. Everything I’ve done and seen has made me the ripper I am today. This rap shit is perfect for me.

Do you think there is a direct connection between rap and graffiti?

I’m definitely not one of those ”hip hop culture” cats. I mean, I got respect for the old school and shit, but I just don’t consider myself a ‘”b-boy” or some corny shit like that. I just like rapping and writing my name all over public property. I think rapping and graffiti are very similar in ways though. In both aspects, the main objective is to be known, and get up your name as much as possible. I’m good at self-promoting my stuff cause I’m a bomber. Ever since I was like fourteen, I’ve had this uncontrollable urge to be known. I think its working out pretty well.

Do you think that living in Vancouver influenced your decision in rapping? Would it be different if you lived in Saskatoon, Edmonton or Calgary?

Vancouver molded me. I didn’t actually grow up in the city though. I grew up in the shitty tit suburbs. Owning a nice car, and wearing “Tap Out” gear just never seemed right for me. I definitely think that moving to the city when I did influenced me a lot. It also had a large part in me moving to other cities like Montreal and Toronto. I traveled around tons when I was younger, just getting my name up, couch hopping. I wouldn’t pin it to just one spot. I think life and experiences has been my major influence above everything else.

“The album has nothing do to with being sexy, it’s just a fancy name to catch
your eye.”

What projects are you working on?

June 1st 2009 I’ll be releasing my second solo joint called Sex Machine. I’m not signed to any label so I’ll be releasing it on iTunes and sites like that at a later date. But June 1st is when the shit is available at certain retail spots in Canada. I’ll also be on tour at that time, so if you catch a show, stop by the merch table and hook up a album..

What should we expect from your new album?

Sex Machine is by far my best shit yet. The album is like twenty tracks, all bangers from some serious Canadian and American producers, and featuring tracks with Fatt Matt, Young Sin, Lesk One, and R.A. The Rugged Man. The album has nothing do to with being sexy, it’s just a fancy name to catch your eye. My boy D-rec kills it with the scratching too.

Talk about your tour plans…

We are still working on locking down some dates, but it will be something like: Saskatoon to Victoria with about seven show in between. If you want to check my tour dates, check out my Facebook group. Everything should be posted there shortly.

Have people tried to play down your accomplishments – even if you’ve only been rapping seriously for a short time?

Nah, not really. There is the occasional hip hop geek though, talking up the smack online. I think most people are scared to share their opinion with me. Like I might react weird or some shit. I’m pretty confrontational, so that scares rappers. Most people that know me personally, know my achievements, cause they seen me before all this. I have only been at this shit a short amount of time, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come, and don’t plan on quitting this shit any time soon. I’m sure people talk shit, I just don’t ever hear it.

You sound like a bit of a bratty kid on the mic, is that a decision or do your words just come out that way? Has it contributed to your growing notoriety?

What do you mean bratty? Like, lippy or some shit? I just say what I want, when I want. I guess I do probably come off as a bit of a wild animal. I can’t really control the way I rap. I never could. I just write the shit and when it comes out that’s what it is. My homie, Kaboom says I sound like a dying Pterodactyl.

How have your drug/alcohol experiences fueled your rapping?

Although I don’t use as many drugs as I used to, I still get high on a daily basis. Marijuana is my best friend. Everything I do, I abuse. I smoke more cigarettes than anyone I know. Sometimes I write songs when I’m super hung-over, or after a night of eating ecstasy when my brain is all fucked up and twisted. Some of my most popular tracks were written while under the influence of cocaine. But I don’t do that shit anymore it makes my nose feel like Michael X10. I think everything happens for a reason. If I happen to find some drugs its on!

If you could be any drug in the world, what would you be?

I would be Exlax. Breaking down solids into liquids making suckers shit their pants. Or MDMA ‘cause it makes you feel really good. I’d be the E-pill with the happy face on it.

Has there been definitive increase in the amount of women paying attention to you since you started rapping professionally?

I think so. I mean, I’ve never really been much of a ”ladies man” but lately there’s been bitches getting at me on that Facebook. It’s cool whatever. I’m too busy to care about that shit. I got a sexy girlfriend who feeds me and tickles my back. She was with me before I was a rapper, when I was just an ugly cracker with dirty clothes, so it would be hard to replace that shit. If any of these girls actually knew me, they wouldn’t like me at all. I’m an asshole.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of the year?

I think 2009 will be a good year for me. We got a lot of shit planned out, but actions speak louder than words. I just want to keep progressing; keep recording and touring as much as possible this year. I’m also hoping that by the end of the year I will be able to walk without a cane.

Shouts?

Ephin, Ales, Young Sin, Vision, Fatt Matt, Low Pressure, Moves, Boom Goonz, DRec, Caspian, Lesk One, Capital Q and the rest of the Stompdown posse, Evil, Stuey, all the producers that send me beats, Touch and Nato, Stylust, Weed, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Number seven light regular, and all the people that bump my shit. Show my music to your friends!

hell nah, I get lots of audio from there. interviews are on point too. I post my show there and get lots of responses/connections. which I woulda never heard if I didn’t post there. great for marketing and networking.